Keeping accurate records of your pet’s health information can play a vital role in quickly recognizing and identifying your pet’s health issues. Additionally, if your regular veterinarian were not available in an emergency, another vet would be working without any reference points and not know your pet’s normal vital signs (pulse rate, temperature) or any medication that was previously prescribed.

The following is a list of the minimum information you should retain in your pet’s health file:

Description of your pet. Photos as well as a written description of your pet will help identify him and prove proof of ownership in the event your pet goes missing. The photographs should show your pet from different angles to highlight unique markings. A copy of proof of ownership should be kept with your health records but keep your original in a secure place (licenses, adoption records).

Normal vital signs. Your pet’s temperature, pulse, and respiratory rate are important indicators of general health. If you can do it yourself, take these measurements a few times and record the data noting the time of day and ambient temperature. This will allow you to establish a baseline. Knowing what is normal for your horse, dog, or cat will allow you to quickly notice and respond to any abnormalities. If your veterinarian has a record of the pet’s vital signs, ask him/her for a copy.

Deworming. In addition to marking on your calendar when your pet is due for deworming medication (if applicable), make a note of which product is used each time. Some types of worms can become immune to the medication after a while. Your vet can provide advice specific for your pet and your geographic region.

Grooming. If you send your pet out for grooming, note the date of each visit and list the type of grooming that was done. This will help you to determine a plan for regular appointments in the future.

Vaccinations. Make a note of all vaccinations that your pet has received and the date on which they were given. Travel to certain parts of the country may be restricted if you do not have up-to-date records of vaccinations.

Medications. List any drugs your pet receives, along with the dosage, whether it’s an ongoing treatment or a short-term antibiotic. Note any side effects as well and report them to your veterinarian. You should also include any feed supplements on this list as they may have interactions with any prescribed medication.

Minor injuries. If your pet has had any minor injuries, make a note of when and how they were treated.

Veterinary visits. Record every veterinary visit including the reason for the visit, the treatment performed by the vet, and any treatment you must administer. Make a note to yourself to follow up with the vet if any diagnostic tests are performed.

Dentistry. If your pet has his teeth cleaned or removed, record this information. Note any other dental procedures.

A simple notebook with an annual calendar may be sufficient for recording information if you’ve only got one or two pets. Mashable has a list of apps that are good for recordkeeping for both dog owners and cat owners.

Many horse farms have a large calendar posted so that the humans know which days the veterinarian and farrier are scheduled to be at the stable. This is great for a facility that has horses with different owners. Rendaivu offers an app that allows horse owners and stable managers to record, organize, and search horse health records from a smartphone.

Keeping good records for your pets shouldn’t be a chore. There are many different ways to manage the information. Owners should speak with their veterinarians about specific medical record recommendations for their pets. Often vets will pass along free medical record sheets provided by animal health companies. These health sheets can be kept in a three-ring binder with other papers on which notes are taken.

Regardless of which method you use to record your pet’s health information (paper or electronic), leave a copy with anyone else who may care for your pet from time to time.

Remember, healthy pets are happy pets! If you have any preferred apps for managing the health of your pets, share them with fellow pet lovers in the comments.

I also keep current pics of my pets on my cell phone. Twice when I was out of town with my pets, I had to produce copies of shot records, so I also store a copy on my cell phone along with microchip and license numbers. If you have your pets listed with any of the microchip services (HomeAgain is one), you can also store relevant information there as well as additional phone numbers for friends/relatives in case you can’t be reached. If you aren’t a paid member, you can still keep the information there for free. And since I use an electronic calendar, I update the shot records every year and get a reminder a week in advance when it’s time to update them. Works well and I can access the info electronically from anywhere.

It is also useful to have a list somewhere of “help find my pet” phone numbers and websites. When an animal goes unexpectedly missing we are generally not at our best, and panic causes thought to scatter. Include the local pounds and animal shelters and you have a starting point for getting your precious pet back. When it comes to animals, expect the unexpected!

I use an excel spreadsheet (you can get the template here free – http://office.microsoft.com/en.....C006128278|) to track my dogs info. I’ve changed the graphic on the template with photos of my dog and have all their shots, medications as well as license & microchip numbers there. This way I can update at any time and have a copy on my phone as well.

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